Green Interior Design

Green interior design is rapidly becoming a growing trend in the design industry. With more people becoming environmentally aware of the issues surrounding their daily lives, going green in your home makes sense.

When you are considering green living in your home, one of the biggest questions most people ask is about the cost. While some products will cost more than traditional items used in most homes, the savings comes in terms of health and longevity of those products.

For example, one of the biggest costs that can be encountered in creating a green living environment in your home is your choice of flooring products. While there are many expensive woods that are on the market these days, the growing popularity of bamboo flooring is beginning to edge out the other products. Since bamboo is a natural product and grows rapidly, it is easily one of the more sustainable products that can be used in the home.

Another factor that many people decide to redo in their home is to add a fresh coat of paint. The warning labels of most paints advise that you should apply it in a well ventilated area. This is because of the high amounts of volatile organic compounds in the paint itself. VOC's are the fumes of the chemicals that make the paint. They have been known to be bad for the environment and your health. Several paint manufacturers are now making low VOC or no VOC paints that are both healthy for you and the environment.

Some of the other products that are considered sustainable that people are using in their green home designs are concrete and glass counters that are made from recycled glass and concrete. There are also lots of wood products, such as cabinets and furniture that are made from reclaimed lumber instead of fresh cut wood from forests.

Another growing trend is to also use solar energy panels on the home to supply some of your own electricity. This can also supply electricity back into the grid and make you money depending upon your energy usage. Natural light via windows and skylights are also very popular.

Green interior design is a lot more than just paint and furniture these days. There are also builders that specialize in building green homes and remodeling your existing home. The main focus should be on limiting the demand upon the environment for materials and output of waste material. You can create and have a very beautiful and natural appearance and design while helping reduce the demand on the planet.